Machine for making type-bars.



F. H. RICHARDS. MAGHINE FOR MAKING TYPE BARs. APPLICATION FILED JULY13,1901. nnnnwnn'oow. 9, 1909.

Patented Jan. 18,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor.-

Wzfnesses:

F. H. RICHARDS. MACHINE FOR MAKING TYPEBARS.

APPLIVOATION FILED JULY 13, 1901. nmmwnn 0019, 1909.

947,006, Patented Jan. 18,1910. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witness-es: Inventor;

UNITED STATES 1 ATENT OFFIC,

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGN- MENTS, TO AMERICAN TYPOGRAPHIC CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OFARIZONA TERRITORY.

MACHINE FOR MAKING TYPE-BARS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 18, 1910,

Original application filed January 14, 1899, Serial No. 702,124. Dividedand this application filed July 13, 1901, Serial No. 68,137. RenewedOctober 9, 1909. Serial No. 521,951.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANcrs H. RICH- ARDS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Making Type-Bars, of which the fol lowing is aspecification.

This invention relates to a machine for making composite typebars, eachbar comprising a body-piece or type-support constructed to receive aseries of types by an interlocking engagement between the sup port andthe series of types distributed along the edge of the support to formwords and Word-spaces, as may be desired.

The present application forms a division of an application for LettersPatent filed by me on January 14, 1899, Serial No. 7 02,124, for themanufacture of typebars, the subject matter of this present applicationwas included in an application for Letters Patent on a machine forforming typebars divided out of said application, Serial No. 702,124:and filed by me on May 3, 1900, Serial N 0. 15,299, and renewedSeptember 19, 1909, Serial No. 453,821. In this latter application thereis shown, described and claimed an organization of mechanism for makinga composite typebar in which organization there is included a mold-boxdesigned to cooperate with successive portions of the edge of a typebarbody-piece or type-support and in conjunction with selectivelylocateddies to form a series of types disposed along the edge of suchbody-piece. It is proposed, as set forth in that application, to justifythe matter forming the line of types by some suitable mechanism. Themold feature is claimed in such other application; and certain type headsevering, type head shifting and justifying mechanism, illustrated inpractice herein, are also claimed in conjunction with said mold in saidother application. Claims to the art of forming typebars in a closedmold from solid metal and interlocking these with a body piece areincluded in the parent application, Serial No. 702,124.

The present application is directed more especially to those fundamentalfeatures of organization which are essential for the proor interlockedwith such support.

duction of a line of composed types along a proper typebar body-piece ortype-support to constitute a typebar of a composite nature.

In the machine herein set forth, as in that set forth in myhereinbefore-mentioned application, the type-support will usually be fedalong intermittently, or step by step, relatively to a type-formingmechanism, by which latter means type-material (pref erably supplied tothe machine in the form of a wire of proper cross-section) will beshaped into regular heads, and at the same time each head thus formedmay be interlocked with the type-carrying edge of the type-support orcarrier portion of the cornpleted typebar. In some cases thisinterlocking will be effected by placing the typehead in engagement withthe outside of a T-shaped or other suitable form of typeguide rib on theedge of the typebar bodypiece, while in other cases each head will beforced into a suitable retaining groove formed in the edge of suchpiece.

My improved typebar-machine is distinguished from all others of which Ihave knowledge by the fact that an essential feature thereof is theprovision of mechanism for compressing the individual type-blank ontoand into engagement with a suitable type-support to form a type-headengaged This act of compressing the material or blank results not merelyin the compression of the material into engagement with the support, butalso in the formation of the type-head itself, and hence the molding ofthe type and the interlocking thereof with the support may in practicebe simultaneously effected and result from one operation.

In the preferred construction, and for the purpose of readily justifyingthe types, the type-support or typebar body onto which the type-headsare molded will be so constructed that the finished types will becapable of being shifted or slid along such body, and hence I make useof a typebar body or type-support in which there is a type-guide ofuniform character throughout its length, this guide being on one edge ofthe typebar body, and consisting of a. rib or tongue projectingtherefrom, or a groove or channel out therein, and with which thematerial of the typeblank may be engaged by the compression thereof.

The machine embodied in the present invention will comprise as animportant feature thereof type-forming mechanism cooperative with thetype-support or typebar body-piece to compress and hence form on thelatter and in engagement therewith a type or row of types which will beshaped in place. In the preferred construction and mode of operation thetype-support or typebar-body will form a wall corresponding to thebottom wall of a mold against which the type-blank is forced whenoperated upon by the die to form the blank into a type-head andinterlock the same with the edge of the support or body-piece.

In a. complete mechanism for producing a typebar of the presentcharacter it is desirable to feed the typebar body-piece with which thetype-heads are engaged different distances, step by step, according tothe size of the head to be formed, and a construction operative in thismanner is shown herein. Moreover, while the type-material may besupplied to the type-making point of the machine in any proper manner, Ideem it desirable to feed a type-blank rod from which rod type-blankswill be severed 01' sheared, these type-blanks being of such lengths asmay be necessary for the formation of the respective type-heads; hence,this rod may also be fed different distances and a variable feed deviceis provided herein for this purpose. After the formation of thetype-heads to form a line of types, any excess material may be shearedtherefrom and the heads trimmed by some suitable mechanism in a mannerwell. understood by those familiar with the art.

In the drawings accompanying the present specification,Figure 1 is asectional end elevation, partly an outline, of a portion of an apparatusfor making typebars, illustrating a simple form of mechanism forcarrying my invention into effect for producing composite typebars. Fig.2 is a side elevation thereof, with parts broken away and with thestock-feeding device removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, on asomewhat enlarged scale, illustrating a partially completed typebarproduced by the present machine. Fig. l is a transverse section of thetypebar-body with the type-blank in position thereon before compression.Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating said type-blank as having beencompressed by a type-die to form a typehead. Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview illustrating the typebar body-piece and its feed-rod; and Fig. 7 isa plan view of various parts located at and adjacent to the type-makingpoint of the machine.

Similar characters designate like parts in the different figures of thedrawings.

The several operative parts of the mechanism will be mounted uponframework, designated in a general way by A, and comprising a base-plate22. Upon this framework there will be mounted some suitable form oftypemaking mechanism, the mechanism, as herein shown, embodyingorbitally-movable rotatable type-dies which are represented as carriedby a rotating turret T substantially in the manner shown and describedin my prior patent No. 403,216, granted May let, 1889, to whichreference may be had for a more detailed description of the severalparts. This turret T is here mounted for rotation in an end frame 2 andan upright 2' both rising from the main framework A, and in this casealso, the turret carries four shafts, such as 3, on which are carrieddie-- wheels 20 provided with proper type-dies, such as those designatedby d. Each of the shafts 8 will also carry a suitable startingarms, suchas s.

For the purpose of starting the startingarms and hence the shafts of thedie-wheels and the dies rotating, I may make use of the usualstarting-latches, represented herein in a conventional way, anddesignated by Z, (the latches shown being spring-pressed ones) whichlatches when tripped will start the rotation of the shafts and will bereset or returned to their normal positions by the starting-arn'is s,substantially in the manner described in said patent. As many latchesmay be used as there are type-dies on the die-wheels, but only four areillustrated herein. It will be obvious, of course, that the main shaft 4carrying the several members of the turret T should be rotated in orderto effect the rotation of the die-wheels when any starting-arm comesinto contact with a latch that may be set, and for the purpose ofrotating the turret I have shown a crank or handle 14; which, it will beunderstood, will be given at least one turn each time a latch is set.

The end frame 2 is shown as provided with a suitable internal gear,designated by 7, with which the teeth of the gear-wheel segments 8attached to the die-wheel shafts will mesh when said shafts are startedrotating.

The gear-segments S on the shafts 3 will be rotated selectively one at atime as the latches Z are selectively operated, and when anygear-segment, its shaft and the diewheel thereon have been startedrotating, the rotation of each wheel, etc., will be stopped in somesuitable manner at the proper point, as, for example, by a springpresseddetent 9 coming in contact with a flattened portion of the hub of thegearsegment.

In my previously-mentioned application from which the present one isdivided, a mold is shown cooperative with each diein succession as it isbrought to the typ'e-mak ing point and rolled over the type-blanklocated in such mold to form therefrom a type-head. ,The employment ofsuch a mold is convenient in that it offers one'means for assisting inthe ready production of a regu larly formed type-head, and also as setforth in that application, for shearing surplus material in excess ofthat needed for the formation of the type-head. Satisfactory types maybe formed, however, without the use of such mold and any surplusmaterial which it is desirable to remove may be trimmed off by any ofthe wellknown means commonly used in the art for trimming linotypesortypebars. The mold may therefore be omitted as a cooperative type-makingmember for the production of the successive typeheads and each typeresult solely from the type-forming action of the corresponding die uponthe blank. i R

The end of the plunger 13 farthest from the die is connected to a pin orstud eccentrically mounted 011 a short spindle 25,

suitably journaled in the base-plate 22 arid having secured thereto anoperating handle or lever, such as 26, from which projects a pin ordetent 26. The body of the'lever 26 is resilient in order to permit aslight rising and lowering of the detentpin 26- which, 'in this case,will have an extreme range of movement between two stops 27 dependingfrom a projection or plate on the frame work. In the under side of thisplatethere may be a series of recesses, such as 27", into any one ofwhich the end of the pin 26 may f be slipped for the purpose of lockingthe pin and the lever temporarily in place, the distance between thestops 27 corresponding to the extreme range of movement of the slide 13,while the distance. between coir secutive locking recesses 27 representsunit spaces as does also the intervals between and the locking recessadthe stop-pin 27 jacent thereto.

In the present illustration of'a simple organization, the group of .diescarried by the four shafts 3 are of four different widths, and theright-hand stop-pin 27" and the locking recesses 27 are so located andspaced as to permit the adjustment of the slide 13 to control theproduction of finished types or type-heads of four different widths.Hence, if the lever is shifted from its normal ositionin which it is incontact with the right-hand stop-pin 27 until the pin 26 reaches thefirst locking recess 27.a typehead one unit wide may be formed, and ifthe lever is shifted to the second, third, or fourth recess 27,type-heads two, three, or

four units wide, as the case may be, will be formed. The extrememovement of the lever 26 from one stop-pin to the other is intended tobe independent in point of time of the shorter movements just describedand such extreme movement may serve the purpose, in addition to anotherto be ad-verted to presently, of shifting the finished type along thetype-guide of the body-piece Z) and locating it in its proper or finalposition on the typebar body unless, of course, a repositioning thereofshould become necessary for justification, although the shifting of aformed type-head out from under the dies to permit a second head to bemade, may and will in practice generally be accomplished by impartingamovement to the body-piece Z), as will presently appear.

Not only does the typebar body have a type-guide but so does theactuating device or feed-slide by means of which such typebar body isshifted or fed, to permit the terminal type or types of the line to bemade upon the feedslide and afterward shifted onto the typebar body,although such type .or types may generally be made directly on suchbody-piece. Still for the purpose of allowing the plunger 13 to movefreely to and fro such feed-slide will ordinarily be provided with atype-guide, such as g, similar to and in alinement with the guide 9 onthe typebar body-piece. This feed-slide may also be of any suitableconstruction and may be substantially of the form shown herein. Here itis a vertically-disposed slide 30 in alinement with and substantially ofthe same cross-section as the body-piece b. The feed-slide 30 isconnected to and is operated in unison with a feed-screw 32, thebodypiece occupying a position between the feedslide and a similarlydisposed keeper 30 at the opposite end of the body-piece. Thisfeed-screw may be operated in any suitable manner, in this case abevel-pinion 33 being ,shown which feeds said feed-screw lengthspindle35 suitably mounted and having thereon an operating wheel or dial 35having an index 2' coacting with a pointer 36 on a fixed portion of theframework. By turning this index-wheel the feed-slide 30 and hence thetypebar body I) may be fed forward to shift the formed type out fromunder the dies and bring the next portion of the typebar body-pieceunder the dies, depending upon the position of the next type to beformed.

In the construction shown, the slide 13 coacts with the feed-slide 30.For this reason I deem it desirable to support the slide 13 on thetypeguide g of the feed-slide 30, and from the drawings it will be seenthat said slide 13 is guided on the projecting rib g. If it is desiredto form the last type of a complete series on the feed-slide 30 thedescribed construction will permit this to be done in exactly the samemanner as the preceding type of such series have been formed on thebody-piece Z). After being finished, of course, the finished type willbe shifted from the slide 30 by the slide 13 onto the typebarbody-piece.

The material from which the type-heads are to be formed will be suitablefor the purpose and be delivered at the type-making point under the diein proper manner, but I prefer to feed intermittently a typeblank rod,such as 7, which may be fed in any suitable manner as by means of a pairof feed-rolls f, f, the former of which has a graduated periphery'orindex 2" composed of equidistant graduations with which graduatious ofthe feed-roll corresponding to those of the index '1 and also to thosebetween the recesses 27. length of the rod has been fed foravard a typeblank 1' will be severed therefrom in some suitable manner. The slide13, shown in the present organization, offers a convenient the stockguide 13 for shearing 0d consecutively the separate type-blanks, 1thaving an edge 13 cooperative with the edge 13 of the stock guide 13 forsevering a blank upon the 5 forward movement of said slide, although itwill be understood by those familiar withthis and allied arts that thetype-die itself may be so formed as to shea a blank from the rodimmediately prior to its operat1on in shaping the blank to the form or aty qehead.

A die )erformin such two-fold function 1 will be recognized by thoseskilled in the art as commonly utilized in the stamping and shaping ofvarious articles from stock larger than the blank necessary to form theindi- \idual product. The amount of materialso cut off may varyaccording to the size of the type to be, formed. The material in excessof that necessary to form a type-head will be disposed of in a suitableway, as by trimming otl' the same, an operation commonly adopted in thefinishing of linot-ypes and typebars. heads having a fin (see forexample 00) at the side which will ordinarily result from theapplication of a die, necessitating a subsequent trimming operation.

The operation of an apparatus such as has been described hereinbeforefor producing an improved typebar of'the class specified is as follows:it being assumed that there is a finished typc-head directly under thedie the feedscrew 32 will ordinarily be operated to carry the typebarbody-piece endwise and shift the type-head out from When a proper anay,of course,

Some of the views show type 1 under t-he die and bring the properportion of the type-support or body-piece in the plane of movement ofthe dies. 'lhereafter one of the latches Z may be tripped, such latchcorresponding, of course, to the type to be formed. The handle t shouldthen be operated to turn the feed-roll f a distance corresponding to thewidth of the type which .the latch just operated represents and the rodr will thereupon be fed forward and a portion of the rod will thenproject over the body-piece. The lever 26 is then shifted from itsright-hand position until the detent-pin 26 comes opposite and slipsinto that recess 27 which corresponds to the width of the type to beformed, during which movement "the lever 26 and the slide 13 cause theshearing off of a type-blank 1" from the rod 9* and the transfer of suchblank into the plane of movement of the dies. The handle 14 may now beturned to start-the turret rotating and when the proper starting-armcomes in contact with the actuated latch, such starting-arm and itsshaft and diewheel will begin to rotate and this rotation will continueuntil the orbitallymovable rotating type-die corresponding to the latchselected is brought with a rolling action into contact with thetype-material means for cooperating with the edge 13 ofor blank andcompresses the latter, thus siinultaneously forming a type-headcorresponding to such type-die and engaging or interlocking said headwith the type-guide on the typebar body or typesupport, or on thefeed-slide, as the case may be. Of course, each time the handle lat isoperated it should be given a complete turn, during the first part ofwhich the starting-arm will commence rotating and afterward will resetthe operated latch. This series of operations be repeated at will toproduce a series of selected. types of varying widths which may beproperly spaced along the typebar body either by leaving a blank spacebetween the separated groups of words, or by forming quads between thewordgroups in the same manner that the several type-heads G are formed.lvlanifestly, the spaces which may be left between the wordgroups orother groups may be of varying widths according to the manner in whichthe several parts are operated.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a machine for makingtypebars, the combination with means for sustaining a type-support orbody-piece, of aseries of type-forming dies supported and adapted forbeing brought one at a time into a given working position to make types;means for operating adie and the type-support one toward the other forforming stock into a type-head engaged with the support; and means forfeeding the support on the retraction of the die to carry the type awayfrom said working position of the die and place the support in positionfor receiving the next type-head.

2. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece having a typeretaining guide, ofa type-die, one of said members being operable toward and from the otherfor forming stock into a type-head engaged with said guide, and themembers being adapted to have a relative movement whereby a second typemay be formed and engaged with the guide.

3. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece having a typeretaining guide, ofa type-die movable in a curvilinear path toward and from saidtypesupport for forming stock into a type-head engaged with said guide.

4. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining and feeding a type-support or body-piece having atype-retaining guide, of an orbitally-movable rotatable type-diecooperative with the support for forming type material into a type-headengaged with the type-guide.

5. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece having on one edge thereof atype-guide and with feeding mechanism for said type-support, of atypeforming mechanism embodying type-dies cooperative selectively withthe type-support for forming type material into type-heads engaged withthe type-guide.

6. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece, of type-forming and shiftingmechanism operative for forming stock into a finished type-head on saidsupport and then shifting the finished typehead along such support.

7. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece having a type guide on one edgethereof, of type-forming and shifting mechanism operative for firstforming stock into a finished type-head engaged with the type-guide andthen shifting the finished type-head along the guide.

8. In amachine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece, of a series of type-formingdies supported and adapted for being brought one at a time into a givenworking position to make types; means for conveying stock into aposition to be operated upon; means for severing a type-blank from suchstock; means for operating a die and the type-support one toward theother for forming a type-blank into a type-head engaged with thesupport; and means for shifting such type-head from under the die andplacing the support in a position for re ceiving the next type-head.

9. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece, of a series of type-formingdies supported and adapted for being brought one at a time into a givenworking position to make types; means for conveying stock into aposition to be operated upon; a slide for severing a type-blank fromsuch stock; means for operating a die and the type-support one towardthe other for forming a type-blank into a type-head engaged with thesupport; and means for shifting such type-head from under the die andplacing the support in a position for receiving the next type-head.

10. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece, of a series of type-formingdies supported and adapted for being brought one at a time into a givenworking position to make types; means for conveying stock into aposition to be operated upon; a slide engaging with the typecarryingedge of such type-support for severing a type-blank from such stock;means for operating a die and the type-support one toward the other forforming a type-blank into a type-head engaged with the support; andmeans for shifting such type-head from under the die and placing thesupport in a position for receiving the next type-head.

11. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece, of a series of type-formingdies supported and adapted for being brought one at a time into a givenworking position to make types; means for conveying stock into aposition to be oper-- ated upon; a slide engaging with the typecarryingedge of the type-support and adapted to sever type-blanks of variablesize from said stock; means for operating a die and the type-support onetoward the other for forming a type-blank into a type-head engaged withthe support; and means for conveying the support on the retraction ofthe die to carry the type-head away from said working position of thedie and place the support in position for receiving the next type-head.

12. In a machine for making typebars, the combination with means forsustaining a type-support or body-piece, of a series of type-formingdies supported and adapted for being brought one at a time into aworking position to make types; means for bringing stock into a positionto be operated upon; a device for severing a section from such stock;means for operating the selected dies in succession to form typesengaged with the support; and means for shifting a type from under theforming die to thereby permit a second type to be engaged with thesupport.

13. The combination with a type carrier or support, of a feed slide forfeeding such carrier or support; an adjustable slide reciprocatory inline with said support or carrier and said feed slide; and means forfeeding stock across and into the path of the said adjustable slidewhereby the forwardly moving slide may shear a blank from such stock.

1 The combination with a type carrier or support, of an adjustableslide, and means for feeding stock across and into the path of the slidewhereby the forwardly moving slide may shear a blank from such stock.

15. The combination with a type carrier or support, of a feed slide forfeeding such carrier or support; an adjustable slide reciprocatory inline with the upper edge of said support or carrier and the feed slide;and means for feeding stock across and into the path of the saidadjustable slide whereby the forwardly moving slide may shear a blankfrom such stock, said adjustable slide engaging with the upper edges ofsaid type carrier or support and said feed slide.

16. The combination with a type forming die, of an adjustablereciprocatory slide having an edge constituting one member of a shear, acooperative shear member, and means for feeding stock variable distancesto said cooperative shear member and across and into the path ofreciprocation of the slide whereby the forwardly moving slide may sheara blank from the stock and advance the same to the working position ofthe die.

17. The combination with a type-carrier having a shear edge, of anadjustable slide reciprocatory in line with said carrier and eflectivewith said shear edge for severing the stock, and means for feeding thestock variable distances into the path of the slide whereby said slidemay sever the stock at a predetermined point.

18. The combination with a series of dies, representing various unitalvalues, of a re ciprocatory slide and means for adjusting the same tocorrespond with the die unital values in the length of its path ofmovement, means for feeding stock across said path, and meanscooperative with the slide for shearing the stock into type lengths,

19. The combination with a type carrier or support, of an adjustableslide, a cooperative shear face, and means for feeding stock across andinto the path of the slide and over said shear face whereby theforwardly moving slide may shear a blank from such stock.

20. The combination with a type carrier or support, of a feed slide forfeeding such carrier or support, an adjustable slide reciprocatory inline with said support or carrier and said feed slide, a rock shaft andmeans for rocking the same, an eccentric stud on said shaft, and a linkconnecting said stud and slide, and means for feeding stock across andinto the path of the said adjustable slide whereby the forwardly movingslide may shear a blank from such stock.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS.

\Vit-nesses FRED. J. DOLE, C. E. Voss.

